Amusement game



Dec. 21, 1937. E. P.` STEIN ET. Al.

{XMUSEMENT GAME v 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 28, 1954 Dec. 21, 1937. E, P. STEIN ET AL AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Dec, 28, 19.344

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 xq P 0600600969000 GGG@ l fm G U M m L@ Q 1 d, l O m. H. O1 s J n O J m. H. J l QJ U o G s ,Q1

Dec. 21, 1937. E.. P. STEIN ET AL l 2,103,191

AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Dec. 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 2l, 1937 l AMUSEMENT GAME Edward P. Stein, Fulton D. Thornton, and Robert Morris, Chicago, Ill., assignors of one-half to John A. Russell, Chicago, Ill. Y

Application December 28, 1934, Serial No."759,538

7 Claims. (Cl. 273-121) Our Yinvention relates to improvements in an vide a ball closed trapl door for the holes in the amusement game of the ball projecting type havgame board. f ing a playing board inclined o-r slo-ped Vfrom the Another important object is to provide an iin-* horizontal so that balls may gravitate down the proved ball moved and ball set register for desigy -same into holes formed through the board to trap hating in a simple, effective manner which hole 5 the balls. These holes may have certain values has trapped a ball. to encourage skill and competition among several Still another very important object is to proplayers. For instance, in the form of the game vide a coin released shiftable or other movable `herein to be disclosed it is intended to simulate means for resetting the trap doors to hole unl give cards are drawn. Accordingly, the holes in to non-registering position. Of course,V other the preferred embodiment of our game are given equally important objects willV become apparent designations corresponding to those used in a as this description continues. p

deck of playing cards. W'hen a projected ball is While the structure of our invention is herein the well known card game of poker in which covering position and for returning the registers 10 trapped by a hole the ball moves down an described vin connection with the playing of a 15 i under guide to set and hold in place a register two handed'simulated poker card game, it will having` thereon a card value designation correplainly be apparent that this is only done in an sponding with that of the hole which received illustrative sense, for obvio-usly thestructure may the ball. Obviously, in such game it is not deserveV inmany other forms,` such for example,v as

sirable to trap more than one ball in each hole merely giving to the holes number Yvalues and 20 and therefore we provide each hole with a nor-k applying corresponding numbers yon the registers.V

mally open check or trap door hingedly mounted In the drawings showing a practicable form of in the holes and having a trip leg portion formed the invention: l therewith to receive the ball dropping through Figure 1 is a general plan view of the amuse@ the hole to hinge er pivot the trap door or check ment game; Y2'5` to hole closing position. Figure 2 is another plan viewrof the under or Adjacent the lower end of the game board are ball guide structure as viewed from the line 2-2 A two register slots or openings, spaced apart and of Figure 6, looking downwardly; Y constituting blank poker hands, the registers be- Figure 3 is an enlarged, transverse, frag# Y '"ing located thereunder and normally in nonmentary, sectional view through this ball rout- 30 f. indicating position until moved and held by a` ing guide structure taken along the line 3 3 of trapped, guided ball to a card showing or indi- Figure 2;

eating position. The game may employ ten balls, Figure 4 is a longitudinal, enlarged, detail seciive of which are small and ve of which are tional view through a ball trap and hole as taken W somewhat larger. The small balls are for setting along the section line 4-4 of Figure l; 35

cards, or registers in one blank hand and the ive Figure 5 iS a flOut VeW 0f the. Structure ShOWIl large balls are for setting the cards or registers Y in Figure 4 as Viewed along the SeCiOIl 1i11e5-5 in the other hand. By this arrangement two in Figure 4J IOOkug in the dTeCOu Y0f the ar- V`players may compete in drawing ve cards, soto rows;

speak, to build up a poker hand, each player hav- Figure 6 is an enlarged side sectional View 40 ing five balls of one size to play in accomplishing through the game 24S lla/ken alOrlg the Center line the purpose. 6-6 of l'ligurel, looking in the direction of the The game is designed to be coin released, all arrows; Y ten balls being made available for play at one Figure 7 is an enlarged detail planviewof theV release operation, the ball routing means being under shiftable mechanism for resetting the trap 45 such that the balls are segregated as to size. A doors and registers, the view being taken along lifter is used to elevate the balls one at a time the line 'l--1 of Figure 6, looking downwardly; for projection over the board from a ball segre- Figure 8 is an enlarged, detail, sectional, ele-Y gating and accumulating trough. When the vational view ofthe ball lifter and associated ball game is released for play shiftable means effects feeding troughv taken along the line 8-8 of Fig' 50 resetting of all registers to non-indicating posiure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

tion to create blank hands and at the Sametime Figure 9 is a detail cross sectional view through any closed trap doors are moved to hole opening the guide between the top board and guide or alley position. panel as seen along the line 9-9 of Figure i to The primary object of our invention is to proshow its cross section; Y

Figure 10 is a similar view of the same guide taken along the line Ill-I0 of Figure 4;

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail side elevational view, partly in section, to show a modified form of register; and,

Figure 12 is a detail View, in perspective, of one of these modified, pivoted registers in segment form.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6 the game is housed in a, boxV I5 having a front wall I6, the box, or cabinet being closed at its top by a glass panel I1. The game board is shown at I8 the same being sloped from the horizontal Ywith its low end toward the front wall I6. At the right hand side of the board I8 is a ball projection passage I9 and at the front end thereof is a manually operable ball projector 29 carried in the front wall I5. The upper end of the board IB is formed with an arcuate track piece 2I to lead the projected balls to a cushion 22 from which the balls rebound to gravitate down the board I8. Across the lower edge of the board I8 is a transverse partition 23 having inclined rear edges to cause a ball rolling thereto to be led to a central hole 24 to drop therethrough and be caught by a shallow transverse inclined trough 25 which leads such balls back into the passage I9 to gravitate back into position to be rolled over again by the projector 29. This gives the player a free play of all balls vmissing the main holes arranged over the game board.

Forwardly of the lower end of the board I8 between the partition 23 and front wall I6 is a register plate 2B having two longitudinally spaced, transverse register slots 21, 28 formed therein as shown. As shown in Figures 6 and 7 a cross plate 29 is slidably mounted on supports or tracks 39 carried by the side walls of the cabinet beneath the register plate 26. This plate 29 is secured at 3l to a conventional form of coin released slide 32 so that when the slide is moved the plate 29 and all structure connected therewith moves also. The plate 29 includes a downwardly and forwardly extending tray member 33 having in its horizontal portion a series of spaced ball drop holes 34.

Extending rearwardly and connected to the plate 29 are bars 35 carrying another cross plate 36 including a downwardly and rearwardly ex- `knob 43.

tending member 31 having in its horizontal leg or tray portion a series of spaced ball drop holes 3S formed therein. The member 31 is relatively higher than the corresponding member 33 as shown in Figure 6. Underneath these members vis a U-shaped ball collecting and segregating trough 39 (see also Figure 2), which trough portions are reverselyrinclined in a transverse direction. Thus balls falling through the holes 38 drop into the high or rear trough portion and gravitate to the left hand end thereof where the U routes them into the low`front trough portion, which inclines toward a ball lifter to be described now and located in the right hand side wall of the cabinet.

The lifter comprises as shown in Figures l and 8 a vertical plunger 40 slidable up and down manually in a vertical bore 4H formed in a depended portion of the cabinet side wall. Said wall is slotted at 42 to allow for the travel of a When the plunger is down, one ball from the trough can gravitate onto the head of the lifter 43, whereupon the lifter can be moved upwardly by the knob 43 to raise the ball into the passage I9 in position to be hit by the projector 2D.

'Ihe under side of the register panel 23 carries' Suitable guide strips #34 for a series of transversely spaced, longitudinally slidable, substantially horizontal registers 45 movable away from, or under, the register slot 28. These registers 45 are independently movable and each includes a depending angular leg 46 adapted to be engaged by balls rolling down a supplementary grooved alley board 41, said board 41 being located a sufficient distance below the rear trough portion of the trough 39 to permit free rolling of the balls on said board 41. Each register 45 includes a stop pin 48 to limit the i'orward movement thereof so that the registers cannot run out from be tween their guides 44.

Similarly the plate 25 rearwardly of the other register slot 21 carries guide pieces 49 on its under side for similar slidably mounted rear, individual, registers 5B having each a stop 5I and depending legs 52 to be engaged by balls rolling down short alleys 53 which are each longitudinally slotted at 54 to permit small balls to drop therethrough to the lower alley 41 to set the registers 45 while the larger balls cannot fall through and therefore roll down the alleys 53 to set the registers 50.

Scattered over the board I8 and formed therethrough are a number of ball drop holes 55, each Said hole being half rounded at their rear ends to receive the balls and formed with parallel longitudinal side edge portions toward their for-l ward ends by notching out the board as at 55. The holes are so shaped, each to receive a tubular and U-shaped depending ball guide 51 which as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 are each slitted vertically at their front edge and spread apart to form parallel sides 53 to iit the notched hole 55.Y These sides 58 in each hole 55 include upstandingv ears 59 to carry. a pivot pin 65 for hingedly mounting a trap door 6I having wings 52 for normally resting `the doors on the board I8 as shown in Figure 4 in hole opening position.

The door is so held by its own weight.

Further each door includes a trip leg G3 extending angularly from the door 6! and normally in a position within the hole 55 to obstruct the same so that a ball entering the hole must engage the leg 63 to pivot the door Si downwardly to hole closing position in an obvious manner. Each guide 51 is U-shaped at 53 as shown in Figure l0, in cross section, and has its lower end cut oi at an angle as at 64 to provide another U-shaped cross section as shown in Figure 9.

A ball dropping through any hole 55 closes the trap door 5I and then drops down through the board I8 onto a guide or alley member made up preferably of a number of channel members which may be half round pipe-like sections 55 arranged in parallelism side by side and welded Jrlogether to form an alley panel stationarily mounted on the walls of the cabinet as shown in Figure 6. There is one such lengthwise groove or alley 35 under each hole 55 and the guides 51 are U-shaped properly to direct each falling ball with certainty onto its alley 65, said guide meinbers51 being associated with the alley panel S5 between it and the top board I8. It is noted that each alley or groove 55 guides a ball onto the alley board 53 which has alined grooves or tracks as heretofore described. v

The slide bars 35 at their rear ends are connected by a cross bar 65 which carries a number of push rods 61 there being one over each groove 65 and one for engaging the leg 53 of each trap door 6I. These rods are of different lengths as the .holes 55 are..dfferently spaced lengthwise along the board I8. When the slide 32 is moved everything connected thereto is also moved, such for example as the plate 29, bars 35, 66 and rods 61.

In Figure 11 we have shown a modied form of register which here is pivotally mounted under the register plate 26 and its slot 21 at the discharge end of the ball trough or chute 53. The side walls of the cabinet I5 carry a transverse pivot shaft 68 to which is pivotally connected intermediate their ends a series of independent register segments 50 having legs 52 adapted to be engaged by a rolling ball to set and hold the register. The pivotal movement of the leg 52 is limited by a transverse stop wire 53 so that theball cannot drop through the holes 38 until the part 31 is shifted rearwardly.

The game board I8 on its top surface may be ornamented by card designations such as the diamond, spade, club, and heart, shown, and each'hole 55 maybe appropriately marked to show the Various cards in each suit and the registers 50, 45, 53' may carry corresponding respective designations to make possible the playing of a simulated poker card game, as has been stated.

In starting the game play, as a poker hand drawing game, two players may play in turn, each Shaving iive balls available for projection over the board. The live small balls always are projected by the first player as these balls, because of their manner of segregation in the U-trough 39 always are rst in position adjacent the lifter l46 so naturally they are the rst balls to be played. The balls are raised by the lifter 4i), one at a time, from the lower end of the trough 33 into position in back of the projector 26 in the passage I9, which at its front end is preferably depressed below the level of the board I8. iVhen the smallballs are so projected, they gra'v'itateV -nation such as king of clubs, queen of spades,

etc., which marking may if desired be placed on each door check 6I.

'I'he ball dropping through the hole as described is definitely guided by the member 51,.

which is lU-shape in cross section, onto a guide alley 65 to permit the ball to roll down the same to the alley extensions 53. As has been stated these extensions comprise spaced tracks to leave slots 54 so that the small balls drop through and onto the chute or lower alley guide 41 that directs each small ball to the leg 45 of the register 45 that corresponds with the designation on the door of the hole that trapped a ball. Accordingly the small ball being discussed lodges against the leg 46 to slide the register 45 thereof into View under the register slot 28, the register stopping its sliding movement in the form of Figure 6, when it hits the rear edge of the plate 29. I'he leg 46 is now in such position with respect to the ball drop hole 34 adjacent the same that the ball cannot drop through, as is shown in the dotted lines in Figure 6.

In the same fashion, all of the five small balls are played, trapped and registered, any spent balls dropping into the hole 24 are returned into positionV adjacentthei projector for freeV replay by means of the shallow trough .25 inthe manner previously.v described. WithV the rst five ballsV played the rst'player has in effect now drawn a five card poker'hand. All five small balls are now accumulated on the tray or ball support 34 just y over the front portion of theY ballvrevturn trough fall through the slots 54 because of their size and l consequently they engage and set the legs 52 and associated registers 50 under the slot 21, the balls remaining in the dotted line position shown in Figure 6 on the tray 31 without falling through therholes 38. After each player has thus played. his live balls the two ve card hands drawn appear registered in the slots 21, 23 where they can be comparedl to determine the Winner.

All balls are now lodged on'the portions of the tray members 33, 31 having the holes 34, 38 therein above the front and rear runs of the reversely inclined trough 39. By coin releasing the slide, the same may be pushed rearwardly into the cabinet to move the plate 23 and all connected parts described.V Thus each tray member 33, 31 moves rearwardly to center the holes 34, 38V under the balls whereupon they are released to drop into the portions of the trough 39 thereunder. Obviously the small balls travel the shortest distance and reach the lifter 40 ahead of the large balls..

Thus the U-shaped trough 39 ,functions to segregate the ve large ballsfrom the five small balls.

With the same movement of the plates 29, 36

the registers 45, 56 are pushed rearwardly away from underrthe respective slots 28, 21 to position the same in non-registering positions. At the same time the bar 66 moves the rods 61 to engage the depending legs 63 of the yclosed doors 6I to push the same upwardly to their hole uncovering positions, each guide `51 being open at its front edge because of the spread ears` 58` to accommodate these rods 61 as shown in Figure 4. With all parts now reset for play4 the slide 32 is pulled out to return the shiftable parts described and connected thereto to their forward game playing position as will be understood.

The modified registers 50 of Figures 11 and 12 Y work in obviously the same ball actuated manner heretofore described, except that they pivot on the shaft 68 instead of slide as in the form of Figure 6. TheV stop wire 69 insures that the leg 52 thereof will not swing forwardly too far lest the ball drop through the holes 38, it not being desirable to drop the balls until the member 31is shifted in the manner now understood. The weight of the leg 52 is so disposed with respect to the fulcrum 68 that the indicator segments 50' are normally held in non-registering position.

It is the intention to cover all changes and variations of the example of a game structure herein selected for purposes of illustration which do not depart from the spirit and scope of our invention as hereinafter claimed.

What we claim is:

1. An amusement game having an inclined board over which balls may be rolled to drop alley member below the board to receive and guide the balls received from the holes, a slotted register plate at the lower end of the board, movably mounted registers carried under the plate and having depending legs located in position, at the end of the alleys to be engaged by the balls rolling down the alleys to move the registers into view under the slot in the plate, and

means included in the game to temporarily hold the balls in register setting position.

2. An amusement gaine having an inclined board over which balls may be rolled to drop through holes formed in the board, an inclined alley member below the board to receive and guide the balls received from the holes, a slotted register plate at the lower end of the board, pivotally arranged registers located on the under side of the plate and having pendant legs located adjacent the ends of the alleys to be engaged by the balls rolling down the alleys to rock the registers into view under the slot in the plate, and means included in the game to temporarily hold the balls in register setting position.

3. An amusement game having an inclined board over which balls may be rolled to drop through holes formed in `the board, an inclined alley member below the board to receive and guide the balls received from the holes, a slotted register plate at the lower end of the board, movably mounted registers located under the lplate and having depending legs located in position at the end of the alleys to be engaged by the balls rolling down the alleys to move and hold the registers into view under the slot in the plate, means to temporarily hold the balls in register setting positions, a trough below said means, and means to reset the registers to nonindicating positions and release the balls to fall into said trough.

4. An amusement game having an inclined 40board over which balls may be rolled to drop through holes formed in the board, an inclined alley member below the board t receive and guide the balls received from the holes, a slotted register plate at the lower end of the board,

pivoted registers operatively associated with the under side of the plate and having pendant legs located adjacent the ends of the alleys to be engaged by the balls to rock the registers into View under the slot in the plate, means to temporarily retain the balls in register setting positions, a trough below said means, and means to reset the registers to non-indicating positions and release the balls to fall into said trough.

5. An amusement game having an inclined board over which balls may be rolled to drop Vthrough holes formed in the board, an inclined alley member below the board to receive and guide the balls received from the holes, a slotted register plate at the lower end of the board, said plate presenting two spaced transverse slots, a bank of movably mounted registers under each slot, said registers including depending legs,

means for routing balls from the alley member to Y engage the legs of the registersV to set the same into registering positions, means to retain the balls lodged against said legs, a continuous U-shaped trough having reversely inclined transverse runs arranged below said ball retaining means, and means to reset the indicators and dislodge the retained balls to fall into said trough.

6. An amusement game having an inclined board overwhich balls of two sizes may be rolled to drop through holes formed in the board, an inclined alley member below the board to receive and guide the balls from the holes, a register plate at the lower end of the board having a pair of transverse longitudinally spaced slots formed therein, a bank of transverse movably mounted independent registers located under each slot, said registers including pendant legs, means for segregating the balls according to size and causing one size of balls to roll from the alley member to lodge against the legs of one set of registers to move the same into registering position under one slot and for causing the other size of balls to move the registers in the other set into registering positions relative to the other slot, means to retain the balls temporarily in their register setting positions, a pair of communicating troughs arranged below the retaining means, and means to reset the registers to non-registering position and release all balls to fall into said troughs.

7. A game provided with an inclined board having holes therethrough down which balls may gravitate to the holes, an inclined panel having passageways to trap balls dropping through the holes, a register for the balls rolling down the passageways comprising a slotted register plate located at the lower end of the passageways, a transverse shaft beneath said plate, register segments having legs pivotally connected to theA shaft intermediately their ends, said legs being positioned to be engaged by the balls to move the segments into registering position under the slotted register plate.

EDWARD P. STEIN. FULTON D. THORNTON. ROBERT MORRIS. 

